The present invention generally relates to fuel-fired heating appliances and, in representatively illustrated embodiments thereof, more particularly provides specially designed fuel-fired water heaters with low NOx burners having integral venturi fuel/air inlet structures therein, and being integrated with flammable vapor ignition resistance (FVIR) platforms.
Residential gas-fired water heaters are required to meet reduced NOx emission standards effective in 2005 for certain Air Quality Management Districts (AQMD's) of California and Texas. Recently, various gas-fired water heaters have been redesigned to provide them with flammable vapor ignition resistance (FVIR) in accordance with the Z21 ANSI standards. Significant tooling investment has been made to create new water heater platforms, complete with flame arrestors, damper plate assemblies with combustion air shutoff devices, and perforated jacket assemblies to channel and filter air.
It would be desirable to incorporate in these FVIR-redesigned water heaters low NOx fuel burners, which would provide the water heaters with the required lowered NOx emission rates, in a manner which would reduce or eliminate the need for platform redesigns. It is to this goal that the present invention is primarily directed.